YTL Communications Collaborates with TM to Bring 4G Technology to Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 18th November 2009 – YTL Communications Sdn Bhd (YTL Communications), which will soon deploy a nationwide 4G network service, today signed a Wholesale Ethernet Service and Master Tenancy for Infrastructure Sharing Agreement with Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), thus bringing the promise of a truly converged seamless broadband connectivity one step closer to reality.

The partnership agreements were signed by Tan Sri Dato' (Dr) Francis Yeoh, YTL Group Managing Director and Wing K. Lee, Chief Executive Officer of YTL Communications, while TM was represented by Group Chief Executive Officer, Dato' Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, and Executive Vice President, Wholesale Business, Rafaai Samsi.

The 15-year agreement inked by two of Malaysia’s most recognisable brands will enable YTL Communications to leverage on TM’s nationwide Wholesale Ethernet service, while riding on the High Speed Broadband (“HSBB”) infrastructure, and TM’s other telecommunications facilities, to deliver 4G services nationwide by 2010.

The partnership agreements were signed by Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Francis Yeoh, YTL Group Managing Director and Wing K. Lee, Chief Executive Officer of YTL Communications, while TM was represented by Group Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, and Executive Vice President, Wholesale Business, Rafaai Samsi.

Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Francis Yeoh Sock Ping hailed the collaboration between YTL Communications and TM as a pivotal and strategic move that will help Malaysia achieve its vision of being a broadband nation and to have a complete eco-system that provides for a truly converged nationwide mobile internet service using 4G technology.

“We are extremely delighted with this collaboration with TM as both parties share a common goal to accelerate nationwide broadband penetration in Malaysia and bridge the digital divide in the country between the urban and rural populations.”

“Furthermore, YTL Communications’ nationwide 4G services will help Malaysia’s economy be truly innovation-led and will enable the country to be a centre of excellence for mobile internet technology,” Tan Sri Francis Yeoh declared while adding that YTL’s mission is to provide affordable, world-class quality products and services that improve the way people in Malaysia learn, work and play.

Tan Sri Francis Yeoh said YTL Communications will help change the way people access the Internet and provide new opportunities for business and consumer applications and solutions, and bring seamless converged mobile internet service to Malaysians.

YTL Communications has obtained approval from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to operate a 2.3 GHz WiMAX wireless broadband network in Malaysia and is using this privilege to provide, in the near future, state-of-the-art mobile connectivity with some of the biggest global technology pioneers such as Cisco, Clearwire, GCT Semiconductor and Samsung.

According to Dato’ Zamzamzairani, the signing ceremony between TM and YTL Communications is a testament to TM’s strength in its core networks and infrastructure.

“TM is committed to supporting the wireless broadband service operators in the country through its wholesale business arm. This signing ceremony will see TM become a key service provider to YTL Communications in the setting-up of its network and coverage, and will be the enabler in driving it towards realising its vision of delivering a nationwide wireless broadband service to Malaysians.”

“By making the network infrastructure open to all licensed access seekers such as YTL Communications, TM is keeping its promises for open access and continuing its support for the government’s initiative to provide Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessibility to all, while increasing the broadband penetration rate to 50% by end 2010. We see this collaboration as our contribution to the nation’s aspirations for higher broadband penetration in the country,” Dato’ Zamzamzairani added.

With TM’s Wholesale Ethernet infrastructure, YTL Communications can gain from the scalability of bandwidth through TM’s integrated solutions and can also leverage on the sustained and reliable bandwidth of TM’s Wholesale Ethernet to access large volumes of data and utilize bandwidth intensive applications. Through these agreements as well, YTL Communications will tap on to more than 200 TM telecommunications towers across the country to facilitate the roll-out and installation of its 4G network radios.